As this trip was all DH's idea, and all I had to do was wonder what I did so well that he thought of it and then do all the planning... I wasn't sure he and DS, 14 would like Disneyland as much as WDW. And now that we are home the vote is still out on which I like best. They know what they like, but I am the one that does all the planning, so it really is all about me!
And I like them both! DL is my first love, and as such I get all chocked up with the memories of where and what I did when I was so very much younger. Shocked DS when he asked "And why are we riding this ride...?" and my answer was, "'Cause it's the best make-out ride at Disneyland!" That came straight from my life at 16 and a great trip to DL! He didn't ask again, and when I wanted to ride something and he looked like he might want to know why all I had to do is tell him that I "remember" it as being a great ride....
In case you don't have a child between 11 and 22, that is a very large roll-eye, and gag moment for them. They don't want to know, at least not know that you know... know what I mean? And come to think of it DH wasn't to thrilled either, I even got the one eye Volcun eye arch look... Neither asked how I knew this info. I am going to assume you all don't want to know either...
One of the best things about the trip last week was the timing. We had no lines! Walked on to everything except the Sun Wheel think at DCA. But more latter.
Any way, we went to SCal for the oldest childs Grad from USC. No not Univ. of S. Carolina, and we do have a middle child there, but the OTHER one. The one that costs 5xs more $$$$ per year to attend. And since DH gets to go with me to WDW as often as I can get him off work, he asked me "Why don't we do a side trip to Disneyland? " Well hot dog! YES! And I started reading the "other" threads here on the DIS.
They don't tell you a lot about DL.
But I had been on a 3 day solo trip last Aug, and I did remember what I liked to do. And I prepped the boys that POC was down, so all was going to be well.
We got to LAX and got the required white mine van and started to the park.
I had booked a "View" room for $159.25 with Travolocity a few weeks ago. This was way under the listed price. And it was nice. But we didn't know that at 9:47pm the entire hotel, and DTD was in bed. Because I wanted to get to DL ASAP we waited to eat..... not a good idea! Every thing except the bar was closed... but we made it to the bar and got some food. Also the pool closes at 9 pm!!!! Who knew? Well, obos. not me!
But by now it was 2 am our home time and 11pm Cal time and we had to get up early cause that is what you do at Disney...
So the next day is Wed. Toontown moring madness. We don't have entry to that . No big. Hit Goofys and get breakfast. Pretty good food. Way more expensive then WDW! $81 for 3 to eat breakfast!!!! Poor DH was so shocked he couldn't say a word! Even the 14yo was shocked!!! But it was good and we all took our time and ate a lot. Now at WDW all the characters come to your table, even if you at solo. Not at Goofys. We were skipped by the Fairy Godmother, and Chip and Dale and a few others. In the hour we were there we only had Goofy and Pluto stop by. But that was ok, as we were stuffing food in our faces.. finally got full and then started the walk to the park.
Now I know some of you haven't been to both parks, and I know some of you have..... and it is so strange sometimes while you are at one to remember stuff and then relize that you are not only at the wrong park, but the wrong state! So think how it is when you grow up going to one park and then have made it a life quest to go to the other park enought times a year to make sure you get enought use out of a Premium Annual Pass... When you are overfed, overtired and over excited it is like a enless loop of memory that is over exposed! I knew where to go and what to do, and since I plan the trips there wasn't any arguement. I had not planned that the boys would be shocked how different it all was.
So ok, THE Castle is smaller... But as I pointed out it is the "orginal" castle. And the park is smaller in size, but has so much more detail! And yes, dear POC is down... sorry, it will be down at WDW when we go in 2 weeks to... Bet you all didn't know the howl you heard last Tues, May 9th was my DS's shocked whail of "NOOOOOOO!!!"
On the other hand, they have Indy. Now I don't like the Dino ride at AK, and neither does the family. But WOW! If I could decorate my house as well as they theamed the entry line to Indy I could have my own HGTV show! I think I like the line as much if not more then the ride! DS loved it... but he is 14yo and all that goes with that... DH wasn't so sure... as an Engineer he is still debating on it...
So that over we head to the Splash. DH won't do roller coaster. EXCEPT Big Thunder... go figure? And this is really strange as BTM is the ride that put him in the hospital 7 or 8 years ago! Kids are strange... .So DH and I hit Splash. And loved it... differnt is good in this case... argued about weither it was open our last trip together to DL. He said, NO, I said YES. So as we got off I asked the CM when the ride was open... you get one guess how right I was.
And off to Pooh.
Now I had to do the mom face to get DS to ride. Pout, say, well you don't Have to ride it with me... So of course he did. For some reason it wasn't his favorite.
I love the kid rides. And as the planner, I do get to chose....next time you do all the planning, dear. hahahhehe, like that will happen!
Off to Haunted Mansion. Loved the new stuff. Spent the ride looking for all the differences between DL and WDW. ( Note: this is one of the rides I remember from being 16...
....don't ask, won't tell....)
Hit the island. So much smaller then I remember, and this also used to be open latter in the evening when I was younger. And the Fort is now closed up! Drat. Canoes and the Columbia was down. So that wasn't to fun.
Headed over to the center of the park...
Now by this time DS, and DH are asking what else we have to do? We had only been in the park an hour and a half and we had hit 1/3 of the park. I mean, everyone had stayed home except us! I so planned this, or so I told them... and no they didn't believe me.
We hit IASW. As the 1/4 hour was playing. This is one of these things that I really,really miss in WDW ! The dolls come out and go around every 15 min at DL. I have been to WDW many times, and I know they don't do this there, but I still look for it! Ingrained youth memories. Sigh. Now this is one ride I can't make my mind up about. I love it, I think? And it is soooooo much longer at DL! And they have different countries. I feel kinda cheated each time I ride it at WDW on the one hand, but on the other hand the song is enless at Dl! And I do mean endless. I think the ride is to short at WDW and to long at DL...
The Matterhorn. Where to start? I bribed my DS to go on this. Money was involved. Why? Cause it is a classic, and the pouty mom sad face didn't work, and I knew he would be upset if he didn't go on it. Not now, but when he is like 35 yo. And it is so much not a big deal. I pointed out how it was an "orginal" Disney ride. How they had a basketball court in it. How They have mountaineers that scale it. None of that worked. The $20 did. Was this wrong of me? Do I care? well, yes it was, but no I don't. And he knew it was the amount of money he was gonna get to spend on snacks/sounviers for the day and way. Face saver for him. And when he got off all he said was, what's the big deal. For the record, I did NOT smack him. Non finger flick him in the ear! Wanted to , but didn't! Do note he hates roller coaster, except BTM which he claimes is a "Coaster-type" ride experience. He got that from Disney...
So I made him go on Space! I wanted value for my $$$ !
Now the last time he did SM at WDW he was all of 35 pounds and about 3 inches over the height req. He hated it. Nothing has been able to get him on it for over 6-8 years... and he expected to hate it this trip. HA! Mom is allways right ! The kid loved it. He forgot to blink, and claimed a lack of depth perception... wouldn't know about that, as I think he often has a lack of depth precption and can trip over his own 2 feet! We had walked on this ride also, they were letting everyone go in the fastpass line. And the ride is fast, fast and smooth.
Now one thing I had to do was the cars. And I have no idea why. So we did, and it is out of my system and I can wait for another 10 years till they redo them again...
About now we were running out of rides. Didn't want to do a lot of shopping, not a lot we really want/need, as if that ever stopped us before!! So it was time to head over to DCA.
And on this note I am going to go. Let anyone reading wonder what the "Tink Blinks !" is all about... If you have been this nice to read so far I promice to get back to it soon and finish up in the next day or 2!
Thank you , and see ya real soon!
And I like them both! DL is my first love, and as such I get all chocked up with the memories of where and what I did when I was so very much younger. Shocked DS when he asked "And why are we riding this ride...?" and my answer was, "'Cause it's the best make-out ride at Disneyland!" That came straight from my life at 16 and a great trip to DL! He didn't ask again, and when I wanted to ride something and he looked like he might want to know why all I had to do is tell him that I "remember" it as being a great ride....
In case you don't have a child between 11 and 22, that is a very large roll-eye, and gag moment for them. They don't want to know, at least not know that you know... know what I mean? And come to think of it DH wasn't to thrilled either, I even got the one eye Volcun eye arch look... Neither asked how I knew this info. I am going to assume you all don't want to know either...
One of the best things about the trip last week was the timing. We had no lines! Walked on to everything except the Sun Wheel think at DCA. But more latter.
Any way, we went to SCal for the oldest childs Grad from USC. No not Univ. of S. Carolina, and we do have a middle child there, but the OTHER one. The one that costs 5xs more $$$$ per year to attend. And since DH gets to go with me to WDW as often as I can get him off work, he asked me "Why don't we do a side trip to Disneyland? " Well hot dog! YES! And I started reading the "other" threads here on the DIS.
They don't tell you a lot about DL.
But I had been on a 3 day solo trip last Aug, and I did remember what I liked to do. And I prepped the boys that POC was down, so all was going to be well.
We got to LAX and got the required white mine van and started to the park.
I had booked a "View" room for $159.25 with Travolocity a few weeks ago. This was way under the listed price. And it was nice. But we didn't know that at 9:47pm the entire hotel, and DTD was in bed. Because I wanted to get to DL ASAP we waited to eat..... not a good idea! Every thing except the bar was closed... but we made it to the bar and got some food. Also the pool closes at 9 pm!!!! Who knew? Well, obos. not me!
But by now it was 2 am our home time and 11pm Cal time and we had to get up early cause that is what you do at Disney...
So the next day is Wed. Toontown moring madness. We don't have entry to that . No big. Hit Goofys and get breakfast. Pretty good food. Way more expensive then WDW! $81 for 3 to eat breakfast!!!! Poor DH was so shocked he couldn't say a word! Even the 14yo was shocked!!! But it was good and we all took our time and ate a lot. Now at WDW all the characters come to your table, even if you at solo. Not at Goofys. We were skipped by the Fairy Godmother, and Chip and Dale and a few others. In the hour we were there we only had Goofy and Pluto stop by. But that was ok, as we were stuffing food in our faces.. finally got full and then started the walk to the park.
Now I know some of you haven't been to both parks, and I know some of you have..... and it is so strange sometimes while you are at one to remember stuff and then relize that you are not only at the wrong park, but the wrong state! So think how it is when you grow up going to one park and then have made it a life quest to go to the other park enought times a year to make sure you get enought use out of a Premium Annual Pass... When you are overfed, overtired and over excited it is like a enless loop of memory that is over exposed! I knew where to go and what to do, and since I plan the trips there wasn't any arguement. I had not planned that the boys would be shocked how different it all was.
So ok, THE Castle is smaller... But as I pointed out it is the "orginal" castle. And the park is smaller in size, but has so much more detail! And yes, dear POC is down... sorry, it will be down at WDW when we go in 2 weeks to... Bet you all didn't know the howl you heard last Tues, May 9th was my DS's shocked whail of "NOOOOOOO!!!"
On the other hand, they have Indy. Now I don't like the Dino ride at AK, and neither does the family. But WOW! If I could decorate my house as well as they theamed the entry line to Indy I could have my own HGTV show! I think I like the line as much if not more then the ride! DS loved it... but he is 14yo and all that goes with that... DH wasn't so sure... as an Engineer he is still debating on it...
So that over we head to the Splash. DH won't do roller coaster. EXCEPT Big Thunder... go figure? And this is really strange as BTM is the ride that put him in the hospital 7 or 8 years ago! Kids are strange... .So DH and I hit Splash. And loved it... differnt is good in this case... argued about weither it was open our last trip together to DL. He said, NO, I said YES. So as we got off I asked the CM when the ride was open... you get one guess how right I was.
And off to Pooh.
Now I had to do the mom face to get DS to ride. Pout, say, well you don't Have to ride it with me... So of course he did. For some reason it wasn't his favorite.
I love the kid rides. And as the planner, I do get to chose....next time you do all the planning, dear. hahahhehe, like that will happen!
Off to Haunted Mansion. Loved the new stuff. Spent the ride looking for all the differences between DL and WDW. ( Note: this is one of the rides I remember from being 16...

Hit the island. So much smaller then I remember, and this also used to be open latter in the evening when I was younger. And the Fort is now closed up! Drat. Canoes and the Columbia was down. So that wasn't to fun.
Headed over to the center of the park...
Now by this time DS, and DH are asking what else we have to do? We had only been in the park an hour and a half and we had hit 1/3 of the park. I mean, everyone had stayed home except us! I so planned this, or so I told them... and no they didn't believe me.
We hit IASW. As the 1/4 hour was playing. This is one of these things that I really,really miss in WDW ! The dolls come out and go around every 15 min at DL. I have been to WDW many times, and I know they don't do this there, but I still look for it! Ingrained youth memories. Sigh. Now this is one ride I can't make my mind up about. I love it, I think? And it is soooooo much longer at DL! And they have different countries. I feel kinda cheated each time I ride it at WDW on the one hand, but on the other hand the song is enless at Dl! And I do mean endless. I think the ride is to short at WDW and to long at DL...
The Matterhorn. Where to start? I bribed my DS to go on this. Money was involved. Why? Cause it is a classic, and the pouty mom sad face didn't work, and I knew he would be upset if he didn't go on it. Not now, but when he is like 35 yo. And it is so much not a big deal. I pointed out how it was an "orginal" Disney ride. How they had a basketball court in it. How They have mountaineers that scale it. None of that worked. The $20 did. Was this wrong of me? Do I care? well, yes it was, but no I don't. And he knew it was the amount of money he was gonna get to spend on snacks/sounviers for the day and way. Face saver for him. And when he got off all he said was, what's the big deal. For the record, I did NOT smack him. Non finger flick him in the ear! Wanted to , but didn't! Do note he hates roller coaster, except BTM which he claimes is a "Coaster-type" ride experience. He got that from Disney...
So I made him go on Space! I wanted value for my $$$ !
Now the last time he did SM at WDW he was all of 35 pounds and about 3 inches over the height req. He hated it. Nothing has been able to get him on it for over 6-8 years... and he expected to hate it this trip. HA! Mom is allways right ! The kid loved it. He forgot to blink, and claimed a lack of depth perception... wouldn't know about that, as I think he often has a lack of depth precption and can trip over his own 2 feet! We had walked on this ride also, they were letting everyone go in the fastpass line. And the ride is fast, fast and smooth.
Now one thing I had to do was the cars. And I have no idea why. So we did, and it is out of my system and I can wait for another 10 years till they redo them again...
About now we were running out of rides. Didn't want to do a lot of shopping, not a lot we really want/need, as if that ever stopped us before!! So it was time to head over to DCA.
And on this note I am going to go. Let anyone reading wonder what the "Tink Blinks !" is all about... If you have been this nice to read so far I promice to get back to it soon and finish up in the next day or 2!
Thank you , and see ya real soon!